Contact

Tommy Statler

Tommy Statler is a director, producer, and teaching artist living in the Los Angeles
area.

Following his graduation from SEMO in December 2009 Tommy has produced and directed
4 non-equity shows in the Los Angeles area. He has acted and done script editing for
a bar-room Shakespeare company in West Hollywood. He spent two summers working with
the education department as a teaching artist in "acting" and "voice and text" at
California Shakespeare Theatre in the bay area. Tommy has also held directing internships
with Berkshire Theatre Group and Santa Cruz Shakespeare.

Tommy is currently working as an independent teaching artist with The Help Group,
a charter school program in the Los Angeles area. He was hired by The Help Group as
a substitute teacher and classroom aide for students on the autism spectrum. With
the support of The Help Group, Tommy started a drama class for high school age special
needs students. Last year The Help Group produced its first Shakespeare play (Macbeth)
in its history.

Tommy is very thankful for the education and experience he gained during his time
at Southeast. From acting and directing classes with Kenn and Dr. Dillon, to theatre
history with Dr. Phil Nacy, and earning his R&P hours under the guidance of Deana
and Jeff Luetkenhaus.

Rachel Richter

After graduation, I moved to Sacramento, CA for an internship at B Street Theatre.
While there I met up with fellow SEMO alumni and my now fiance Tony Poston. In June
of 2015, we both relocated to Milwaukee, WI for my position at Milwaukee Repertory
Theater as their Audience Services Manager. I am starting my third season at the Rep
and I look forward to many more. Tony and I will be tying the knot in May of 2018.
I would not be where I am without the faculty pushing and encouraging me along the
way.

Melissa Seiler

When I started at SEMO in 2000 there wasn't a BFA Dance program. In fact, I wasn't
able to technically declare until I was a Junior, being only the 2nd to Graduate with
a BFA-Dance in 2005. At the end of my Freshman year I purchased my home studio in Sikeston, MO. It was
a struggle to run a studio and attend classes along with the demands of the college
Theatre/Dance life. They had not even broken ground on the River Campus while I was
attending, though our small group of dancers performed on a concrete pad where you
now have a beautiful new campus. Lol! Since graduating I have focused the majority of my energy on my studio "Melissa's
Studio of Performing Arts" in hopes to share my love for dance & the arts to those
in my community. (Hopefully sending some your way). I've grown from 75 to 250 students.
Each summer we have a Triple Threat camp where I hope to build interest and expand
the studio into a true Performing Arts studio- offering more than just dance!! My only regrets while in school.... not being able to participate in more shows (because
I was commuting from Sikeston & running my studio durring rehearsal times) and not
taking business classes (which would have helped me run a more successful studio). The rest of my energy has been spent on my family! My husband and I will be celebrating
our 13th anniversary in Jan and I have the best boys EVER! Reid-6 years and Rhett-2
years!

Maria Bartolotta

Earned Equity Membership Candidacy with The Old Creamery Theatre in Amana, Iowa, working
in 4 shows through their 2013 season. Upon returning to St. Louis, has constantly
being performing in venues around the area, including Stray Dog Theatre. There she
has played Crystal in "Little Shop of Horrors", Van's Sister in "Dog Sees God: Confessions
of A Teenage Blockhead," originated the role of the evil stepsister Munchanetta in
the world premiere of "Spellbound: A Musical Fable" and is currently playing Magenta
in Stray Dog's production of "Rocky Horror". Aside from theatre, Maria has also performed
in several cabarets and showcases in the area with fellow alumn Dom Thomas, including
"Musical Evolution" at the Kranzberg Arts Center, "Dom and Maria's Holiday Celebration"
at The Emarald Room, and the two will be reuniting this December on the KDHX stage
for their new cabaret "Lucky". This past spring, Maria made her directing debut with
"Peter Pan Jr." at St. Justin the Martyr. Maria also sings professionally for weddings
and other events, as well as with a local 80's cover band. She will be moving to the
big apple next fall to pursue her stage career, and can't wait to see what the future
holds!

Eileen Engel

Eileen Engel graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with a BFA in Musical
Theatre in May 2012. After graduation, she performed in the NYC Senior Showcase with
her fellow SEMO graduates. She is currently a Saint Louis-based performer and is a
member of the Equity Membership Candidate program. Most recently, she was nominated
for a Theatre Circle Award for her performance as Rosa Bud in "The Mystery of Edwin
Drood" with Stray Dog Theatre under the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress
In A Musical against Tony Award, Grammy Award, and Drama Desk Award winner, Heather
Headley. She works frequently at Stray Dog Theatre, previously performing in "Evil
Dead: The Musical" (Linda), "Spellbound: A World Premiere" (Kokumo), "Five Women Wearing
The Same Dress" (Frances), "Dog Sees God" (Marcy), River Front Time's Best Musical
Award Winning "Cabaret" (Frenchie), and more. Sh e has al so performed with Variety
Children's Theatre in "Beauty and the Beast", "Mary Poppins", and "Annie", which are
directed and choreographed by Tony Nominee, Lara Teeter. She recently performed in
her first opera, "Thyrsis and Amaranth", as Amaranth with R-S Theatrics. She received
the opportunity to perform this opera with composer, Steven Serpa, in the audience
two of the nights. She toured for a few months as Tooth Fairy in the "Land of Smiles"
show and continues to perform the show sporadically. She also has worked with Murder
Mysteries USA (Tour and local), Clever Productions, performed as princesses for parties,
and performs in local cabarets and reviews as a soloist and dancer. She continually
studies by taking voice lessons, dance lessons, and performance classes. Aside from
performing, she worked as a stitcher for the Muny St. Louis for the past 4 summers
and completed her first full-time season this past summer. S he also sews full-time
at Veiled Prophet's costume shop for the 4th of July Parade and Ball, and part-time
at The Fabulous Fox, Peabody Opera House, Scottrade Center. She costume designs at
Stray Dog Theatre and is currently working on her 11th design. She received two Theatre
Circle Award nominations for her work: Outstanding Costume Design In A Musical for
"The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and Outstanding Costume Design In A Play for "And Then
There Were None". She will be seen as Johanna in "Sweeney Todd" at Stray Dog Theatre
next April and cannot wait to see what else the future holds.

Anna Hebrank

Tim Nicolai

Tim Nicolai (BFA in Acting, 2005) recently appeared in the New York Public Theatre
productions of The Tempest and Cymbeline. Regionally, he has appeared in The Grapes
of Wrath, Romeo and Juliet, and The Tempest at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey.
He has also been seen on the CBS drama, Madam Secretary, and he was in The Three Sisters,
Plenty, Describe the Night (Rajiv Joseph world premiere), The Beaux Stratagem, Pale
Fires, and A Free Man of Color, while pursuing his MFA in Acting from NYU's Tisch
School of the Arts.

Nick Cutelli

Nick Cutelli is a native from Saint Louis and a 2006 graduated from the Southeast
Missouri State Theatre and Dance Department where he earned his Bachelors of Fine
Arts in Acting/Directing. Cutelli is a graduate of both the Second City’s Improv and
Musical improv conservatory programs. He currently resides in West Hollywood California
where he is managed by Barry Krost and just signed with Sovereign Talent Group. Cutelli
is an actor, writer, and Managing Producer of his studio Cutelli Comedy www.cutellicomedy.com. There he works on/creates filmed comedic shorts, Reality TV pitches, and also TV
pilot sitcoms which he is currently pitching to Yahoo, EPIX, and Crossroads Entertainment.

Amy Coyle

Amy Coyle graduated from Southeast with her B.A. in Dance and a minor in Fine Arts
Entrepreneurship in May of 2015. She moved to St. Louis where she is currently working
at Wildwood Dance and Arts as the director of their competition team, as well as teaching
Jazz Funk, Hip Hop, Contemporary, and Ballet. Amy is also a member of Ashleyliane
Dance Company, a local company owned and directed by Ashley L. Tate. She hopes to
create and explore her choreography on dancers in the company over the next couple
of years.

Carrie Kesler

Carrie Kesler (BFA Dance, spring 2013) is currently an apprentice with Leverage Dance
Company in St. Louis. She is also the Dance Competition Director and a dance teacher
at Full Out Dance and works as an independent choreographer of dance competition routines
in the St. Louis area.

Crystal Lewis

Crystal Lewis graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance and continued on with
her dance education at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas where she
graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in performance and choreography. Crystal has
been teaching dance as adjunct faculty at various colleges since graduating with her
MFA. She is currently living in Arizona teaching at Paradise Valley Community College
and Chandler-Gilbert Community College and is the Founder and Artistic Director of
Conversion Dance Project. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Dance at Redford
University in Redford, Virginia.

Kristin Diering

Kristin Diering graduated from SEMO with a BFA in Dance in May of 2009. After graduating,
Kristin became a full-time dance instructor and choreographer for L.A. Dance Center
(the studio she grew up in), and has been teaching ever since. She has had the privilege
of showcasing some of her pieces at numerous dance festivals in St. Louis, including
Dancing in the Streets and National Dance Week. Aside from teaching, Kristin has found
a passion for running. She will be participating in her seventh half-marathon this
coming November in Orlando, FL at Disney World. Though she enjoys running the 13.1
miles, her main focus is 2018, where she will be running her first 26.2, a full marathon.
While becoming a “functioning Forest Gump” (a nickname her boyfriend calls her), Kristin
went back to school to pursue a degree in Interactive Media/Web Design at Lindenwood
University. She graduated, Cum Laude, in May 2013 and is now a full-time Marketing
Associate for a company in St. Louis, MO. Her next venture is to start her own business
in media design and photography; an art she has loved since she was little. Her work
can be found on her business page on Facebook, Kristin Diering Media Design & Photography.

Mary Woll

Mary C. Woll earned her B.F.A. in Theatrical Design and Technology and B.A in German
from Southeast Missouri State University in 2007, and is currently working toward
her M.F.A. in Costume Design & Technology at the University of Minnesota. Recently
she has work as wardrobe head for The Piano Lesson with the Olney Theatre Center,
served as the assistant costume designer for the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company (2012-13
season), stitched for the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park on shows such as Always,
Patsy Cline, Merrily We Roll Along, and Thunder Knocking on the Door. Main-stage design
credits from across the country include most recently A Midsummer Night’s Dream with
the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, where she earned the 2013 Broadway World award
for best costume design; Lend Me a Tenor, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,
The Crucible (Ozark Actor’s Theatre)’; Married Alive! (Cornwell’s Dinner Theatre);
Fiddler on the Roof, and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Bigfork Summer Playhouse).
A St. Louis native, she has designed for the New Jewish Theatre’s children’s theater
program, as well as worked on productions with the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival,
and Stages St. Louis. She has toured nationally with Church Basement Ladies where
she was the wardrobe/wig head. A stage manager with the Actor’s Equity Association,
she has also stage managed several tours of Church Basement Ladies, including the
2009 tour starring William Christopher from TV’s M*A*S*H. Other stage management credits
include an international tour of Babes in Toyland , To Kill a Mockingbird , The Comedy
of Errors, and the 2007 Medora Musical and Bully!. www.marycwoll.com

Joe Hartz

Since graduating in May of 2013, Joe Hartz has signed a contract with West Model and
Talent Management of Saint Louis, where he recently obtained his first professional
commercial shoot. In his free time, Joe enjoys writing, and has completed several
plays, one-acts, and short films, as well as articles for Paul Russell's "Answers
for Actors" and Cracked.com. While saving up for a move to Los Angeles, Joe has made
several contacts on the the West Coast performing arts industry, including some referred
to him by the great Joel Grey. In June of 2014, Joe became engaged to Shannon Walton, another successful alumni
of Southeast Missouri State University's Conservatory of Theatre and Dance.

Stephanie Peterson

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Stephanie graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre
from SEMO in 2012. Since graduation, Stephanie made the move to the Big Apple and
has been fortunate enough to work at several theatres around the country. She has
worked as an actor for Peach State Summer Theatre in Valdosta, Georgia, Allenberry
Playhouse in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania, Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia,
Hamstead Stage Company in Center Barnstead, New Hampshire, and most recently The Days
of '98 Show in Skagway, Alaska. She has been so lucky to be able to combine her love
for travel and performing and can't wait to see where her next job takes her!

Chance Hill

Chance Hill (BFA in Dance, 2013) is a freelance dancer in New York City and has danced
with Nijawwon Matthews as a principle dancer for his up and coming company, XY dance
company. Chace is currently training at Broadway Dance Center, Gibney Dance, 3 Hairy
Legs Dance company, and Aerial Arts NYC. He is a certified personal trainer and Zumba
Zin instructor.

Keith Johnson

Keith Johnson (BFA in Musical Theatre, 2013) was just cast in the Equity production
of Cats: The Musical, produced by the San Diego Musical Theatre in California.

Kelcey Matheny

Kelcey Matheny (BFA Dance, 2013) was just accepted into the Broadway Dance Center
in New York City.

Sarah Tochtrop

Sarah Tochtrop (BFA in Musical Theatre, 2012) is a Dancer at Princess Cruises and
is currently on a world tour.

Rissa Crozier

Rissa Crozier graduated from SEMO in 2008 and since then has worked as a costumer
for many different companies in the St. Louis area including Stages St. Louis, Westport
Playhouse, Upstream Theatre and The Muny. In 2009, she worked as the Costume Production
Assistant for the movie "Up In The Air" starring George Clooney. Rissa also has designed
costumes for three shows at Crossroads College Preparatory School and more recently
co-designed costumes, alongside fellow SEMO alum, Megan Ligeti, for "Shepard's Daughter,"
produced in Chicago by The Paradeigma Collective, and written by another SEMO alum
Whitney LaMora. Rissa also worked on wardrobe crew for Opera Theatre of St. Louis's
2010 and 2011 seasons, and she just finished her 3rd season as a stitcher in their
costume shop. Currently, Rissa is about to start her 3rd season as the Mainstage Head
of Wardrobe for The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.